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Can someone grade my James Baldwin essay?

1. “It began to seem that one would have to hold in the mind forever two ideas which seemed to be in opposition” (James Baldwin). In what ways is the tension between opposing forces or ideas depicted, and to what extent is it reconciled, in any ONE OR TWO TEXTS studied this semester?

“Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin
"It began to seem that one would seem to hold in the mind forever two ideas which seemed to be in opposition. The first idea was acceptance…of life as it is, and men as they are: in the light of this idea, it goes without saying that injustice is commonplace. But this did not mean that one could be complacent, for the second idea was of equal power: that one must never, in one's own life, accept these injustices as commonplace but must fight them with all one's strength."- James Baldwin.
James Baldwin grew up in a time when prejudice and bigotry were at the heart and foundation of society. Numerous African-Americans face racial inequity, police brutality, and workplace discrimination due to their skin colour and gender. In 1955, James Baldwin released a piece titled Notes of a Native Son. Around this period, the contemporary Civil Rights movement began, and this essay connects everything that occurred throughout that period. The civil rights movement was deemed intolerable on a social level because the black population desired to be treated equally as everyone else. Baldwin discusses the lives and culture of the black community as a result of racist slurs, inappropriate behaviour, and vicious things said by American society along with several significant themes in his article in a way that is difficult for readers to comprehend. This article is profound in a way that numerous readers can read it and derive different interpretations.
"Notes of a Native Son," written by James Baldwin, begins with Baldwin discussing his father's ‘tragic’ death and how they never seem to agree on anything. Baldwin discusses how his father was a nasty and relentless guy, not just towards some people but also his own family. Baldwin had a tumultuous connection with his father, as evidenced by the way he speaks about him. Apart from his hatred for his father, he knew little about him. Later in the essay, Baldwin's hostility toward white people is paralleled by his father's hostility toward those around him. James Baldwin employs pathos, ethos, and other rhetorical tactics in his piece of work to persuade his intended audience to comprehend his point of view and to utilize his life to teach about the problems inherent in being black. The father's inability to express love and compassion began to show on Baldwin when he expressed his desire to murder the white girl simply for being white, which insinuates his father had deeply impacted Baldwin and caused some serious psychological and hate issues hence the strong desire to kill. As stated in the essay, Baldwin did not believe his father's warning that white people should not be trusted until he left home and witnessed for himself what his father was talking about. Baldwin was growing up with regret, but he grew up with remorse for having a relationship with his father.
In his essay "Notes of a Native Son," James Baldwin explores the concepts of life and death by reliving his father's death and the birth of his youngest sibling. He is then divided between the ideals of love and hatred, attempting to express the hatred he previously felt for his father, only to discover it had been extinguished for an extended period. Finally, he struggles with the distinction between right and wrong since racist behaviours put his morality to the test, distorting his vision of reality. He later elaborates on how these thoughts have impacted his life by discussing how he became aware of these perplexing beliefs. These emerge as a result of the anger he believed he felt for his father and his father's bitterness, the race riots and his encounters with racism and injustice, and his recognition that his characteristics were beginning to match those of the parent he wished to avoid.

Baldwin's father dies is the first thing the reader learns about him; it is the essay's first sentence. "My father died on July 29, 1943" (Baldwin,) Baldwin's eighteenth birthday coincided with his father's funeral, which can be interpreted as part of his disdain for his father. People want their birthdays to be memorable, and the parent he despises is robbing them of the opportunity. A month ago, a horrific racial riot erupted in Detroit, with another erupting in Harlem just hours after his father's burial. Baldwin spent the day fuming at God for allowing his father to die as a punishment for refusing to believe in the apocalypse, as his father had insisted he does. He had the distinct impression that this was his father and God retaliating against him for not believing in the apocalypse (Baldwin). Baldwin realized after his father's death that life is finite and began to reflect on it more. Baldwin introduces the essay with sorrow in the first few paragraphs, referring to his father's death. He attempts to elicit an emotional response from the reader regarding the death of his father. Later, it is revealed that his father abuses his children as well; the tragedy is evident here as well. His children, like him, were also black, and his affection for them was evident on his face. He made frequent attempts to get in contact with his children, but they were fearful of him. They began to sob anytime he brought them up near to his arms or knees. Their brains and tongues would suffer paralysis likewise from the anxiety whenever he appeared to assist them with their jobs. As a result, his father became enraged and began beating them. Occasionally, he would surprise his family with a watermelon, but the fruit always resulted in the most horrific scenarios. That is why, whenever he was away from home, his children were always happy. Eventually, Baldwin’s father came to believe that his family was poisoning him and so he refused to eat anything. He was later admitted to a hospital for mental patients, where it was discovered, he had tuberculosis.
According to Christopher J. Lebron, Baldwin's definition of love necessitated an alteration of human connections, requiring individuals and societies to embrace those they frequently dreaded, disregarded, or even despised. When we love, we ask others to take responsibility for their thoughts, words, and actions. We inspire them to see that they can be better people and that their character is malleable when facing the challenge of love is strong enough. If and when all of this is accomplished, love will result in our communal salvation. We acknowledge and reconcile the fact that every one of us is a human being with equal capacities and equal needs. Love fulfils the promise of democracy: equality and justice (Lebron, 2017). Additionally, Lebron discusses how Baldwin's definition of love explicitly requires single acts of daring and bold choices by whites and blacks in the context of the American civil rights movement.
According to Lebron, this is critical because when we love, we transition from victims to recognized and dignified individuals; we become the creators of our lives from the oppressed. However, this is not the case. When we love, we invite others to take control of their thoughts, words, and actions. When the urge to confront the difficulty of love arises, we encourage them to see that they can become better people. If and when all is possible, love leads to our communal redemption (Lebron, 2017). We are aware that we are individuals with equal capacities and equal needs, and we make peace with them. Love satisfies the democratic promises of equality and equity.
Baldwin possesses a huge level of credibility to write about one of the essay's central themes, race. Baldwin was a young black man growing up in the 1950s, and his encounters with racism were unlike any other. One can presume that he encountered a fair degree of racism throughout his life. Throughout his essay, he draws on his personal experiences to substantiate his claims. From not being served in a diner to his night out in New Jersey, Baldwin's stories and life instil an ethos in the reader. Baldwin's ethos and pathos convince readers to accept what he has to say and to consider all the facts. He transports them into the scenarios; he enlightens them on the challenges that he and other African Americans encountered during that era.
Racial injustice contributed to Baldwin's father's anger and how it affected his family, as well as the inequity and discrimination he and his predecessors endured throughout the time of slavery. Baldwin recognized that his father was not passing on his racist ideals to his son. He was merely attempting to protect them from the whites' terrible behaviour towards them. He discovered the source of his father's bitterness. Together with his father, his forefathers have borne the burden of white people throughout the world. Baldwin and his family realized that his father was ill as a result of this. He was diagnosed with paranoia, and his anger and harshness toward them were cited as symptoms. As evidenced in "Chapter One" of James Baldwin's essay "Notes of a Native Son," Baldwin stated, "We were unaware that he was being consumed by paranoia and the realization that his cruelty to our bodies and brains had been one of the signs of his illness..." It was then that Baldwin's relationship with his father became poisoned, making it difficult for him to live with. It then made him scared that the bitterness that had aided in the assassination of his father could also kill him.
Racial disparity is a long-standing issue for African Americans that dates back to the establishment of slavery. According to James Baldwin's novel "Notes of a Native Son," "*****es were not served there, I was informed, and they had been waiting for me to notice that I was invariably the only black person present." Baldwin demonstrated that white Americans regarded African American males and females unequally based on the colour of their skin. Baldwin's father also demonstrated that equality was racial; he writes, "I have had time to comprehend the significance of all my father's terrible warnings." Baldwin was demonstrating how his father suffered adversity because the hue of one's skin was not accepted in white America. Baldwin lived during a time when African Americans were subjected to what was known as the "Jim Crow Laws." These were a set of laws that African Americans were required to follow, and if they were unable to do so, terrible repercussions followed.
Additionally, this statement is correct because the "Jim Crow Law" is not in effect at the moment. However, there is another manifestation of racial disparity in the legal system. The court system is expected to be impartial, regardless of an individual's ethnic origin or gender. In most circumstances, this is not true (Bobo, Lawrence, p11). It has been identified as a systematic issue within the justice system as a result of the system's operation inside a racist society. When serious concerns are considered and policies are developed that will support everyone, the black population is disproportionately affected.
Baldwin chooses a different route than his father; he does not wish to die a bitter and angry man, nor does he wish to be dragged down by the weight of the world. He changes as a result of being truthful to himself and confessing to things he had kept hidden. What does it mean to be truthful to yourself, and why is confession a necessary component of this quality? His honesty enabled him to admit his mistakes and become aware of the person he was becoming into, a person he did not want to be.
In conclusion, Baldwin and the African-American community were increasingly confronted with racial disparities, police brutality, and a variety of other unpleasant statements. Baldwin used his writing to convey a picture of how American culture treated black people. Throughout the essay, Baldwin addresses the reader and analyzes the various difficulties confronting black people from the perspective of African-American communities.